backOn February 9, 2026, Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies approved an urgent procedure for Bill No. 68/2026, which addresses the potential compulsory licensing of the medications Mounjaro and Zepbound. These drugs are indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and are also associated with weight management. By a vote of 337 to 19, lawmakers classified the matter as one of public interest, allowing the bill to proceed directly to a plenary vote without prior committee review. The proposal would authorize the federal government to permit the manufacture of generic versions of the medications, thereby accelerating legislative consideration.
The bill was introduced by Federal Deputies Antônio Brito (PSD-BA) and Mário Heringer (PDT-MG) and is intended to broaden access to treatments currently regarded as high-cost therapies. Supporters argue that enabling domestic production of generics could significantly reduce prices and facilitate the inclusion of these drugs within Brazil’s public healthcare system (SUS). Critics, including members of the Novo Party, maintain that the measure may create legal uncertainty and have adverse implications for intellectual property rights.
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